Two dead, one wounded in Oakland shootings Monday night

OAKLAND -- Two men were killed and a woman wounded Monday night in shootings that happened less than 90 minutes apart outside two Oakland liquor stores, police said.

In one of the shootings, a car occupied by a woman and her 14-year-old daughter was struck by gunfire as they drove past but they were not hurt.

Although both shootings happened outside liquor stores, police said they are not related.

The later shooting happened at 10:20 p.m. and claimed the life of 26-year-old Herron A. Adams, Jr., of Oakland, police said.

Adams was shot outside Two Stars Liquors, 2020 MacArthur Blvd., in the Dimond district. He had just purchased a bottle of wine and was walking to his car when he was shot. Adams fell through a window of the store and died at the scene, according to police.

The store was also hit by gunfire but no one else was hurt.

On Tuesday, the victim's 20-year-old sister, Sandra Adams, of Hayward, said she did not know why her brother was killed, but thinks a gang is responsible for his death.

"I'm so speechless," she said then broke in to tears. "My brother is gone. It just hurts. He has 4-year-old son and he just had another baby."

Herron Adams Jr., who goes by the nickname Whoppie, was the oldest of four siblings. He also had two younger brothers, ages 17 and 21, Sandra Adams said.

The family, she said, grew up in foster care.

"He was more of a mentor and best friend to my other brothers," Sandra Adams said. "I'm so sad. So hurt. I don't know why this would happen."

Advertisement

Her brother was released from jail about one month ago and it wasn't his first encounter with gunfire, she said. Before he went to jail, she said, someone had shot at him at least once.

Officer Leo Sanchez said police don't have a motive yet for the killing and no arrests have been made.

Another homicide occurred earlier in the evening, at 8:56 p.m. Monday, when an 18-year-old man was shot and killed while he was sitting in his van parked outside of Harry Drive In Liquors, 9002 MacArthur Blvd. His name was not released pending notification of relatives.

Police said a 23-year-old woman who was also in the parking lot was hit by gunfire. She went to a relatives home on Brookdale Avenue where police were called and she was taken to a hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

The car driven by a woman who had her 14-year-old daughter as a passenger that was going westbound on MacArthur was hit by gunfire, police said They were not hurt and drove to 73rd Avenue and Weld Street where police were called.

Officer Rob Rosin said police are not sure if the dead man and the woman who was wounded knew each other. He said police don't have a motive yet for the shooting and no arrests have been made.

The two killings brought the number of homicides in Oakland this year to 91. Last year at this time there were 88 homicides in Oakland.

Police and Crime Stoppers of Oakland are offering up to $20,000 in reward money in the shooting that left the man dead and the woman wounded and up to $10,000 in the Dimond district shooting. Anyone with information may call police at 510-238-3821 or at tip line at 510-773-2805 or Crime Stoppers at 510-777-8572 or 510-777-3211.